Domestic oil burner electrode gauge



F. J. DUNDERMAN DOMESTIC OIL BURNER ELECTRODE GAUGE July 28, 1959 Filed April 2. 1958 Fred J. Dunderman 4 INVENTO'R.

United States Patent f} C DOMES'IIIC OIL BURNER ELECTRODE GAUGE Fred J. Dunderman, Antwerp, Ohio Application April 2, 1958, Serial No. 725,963

6 Claims. (Cl. 33-180) This invention relates to gauges and more particularly to a special gauge for setting domestic oil burner electrodes.

The adjustment of the electrodes in domestic oil burners is a tedious exacting job. The electrode points in one type of equipment which is used for exemplifying the invention, must be set to a spark gap of Ms". The points should be held just out of the oil spray so they do not become wet with oil. Therefore not only must the spacing of the electrodes be correct but they must be positioned very precisely with respect to the issuing spray of fuel oil from the nozzle. An object of the invention is to provide a gauge which facilitates these adjustments.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a gauge of very inexpensive construction but yet foolproof in its operation. The gauge in accordance with this invention can be used by practically anyone and completely obviates the necessity of feeler gauges or any other tools or instruments having graduations, numbers. to read, etc.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of the electrodes and jet line of a conventional oil burner;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the gauge and taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the gauge.

In the accompanying drawings there is a jet line together with two electrodes 12 and 14. The electrodes are supported by brackets 16 and 18 and on jet line 10. Insulators 20 and 22 on the electrodes assure that there will be proper insulation between the jet line 10 and the electrodes 12 and 14. Connectors 24 and 26 are at the inner ends of the electrodes and are adapted to be attached to the wiring of the system in the ordinary way. let nozzle 28 is at the end of the jet line 10 and this is standard. The adapter nut 30 is at the root part of the nozzle assembly and holds the nozzle assembly in place on the jet line. The spray pattern (Fig. 2) from the nozzle is typical. The location of the electrodes 14 and 12 and specifically, the ends or points thereof, is critical. It has to be close to the spray pattern but yet, not in the pattern sufiiciently to get the electrodes wet with fuel oil. Moreover, the electrodes have to be laterally spaced from each other a certain distance, in one instance, a manufacturers specification is Ms.

Gauge 40 is constructed of a tube 42 that has an open end 44 and a transverse wall 46. extending across it. The transverse wall is spaced from the collar or laterally projecting flange 48 that also extends transversely across the tube. The distance between wall 46 which is adapted to abut the outer extremity of nozzle 28, and two recesses 2,896,334 Patented July 28, 1959 50 and 52 in the wall 54 of tube 42 is precisely the necessary distance and the correct distance of the electrode tips from the nozzle end in a direction measured parallel to the discharge axis of nozzle 28. The distance between the longitudinal centerline of tube 42 (coincident with the longitudinal center line of the nozzle 28 when applied to the nozzle) and the recesses 50 and 52 is also exactly set to the correct factory specification for this distance of electrodes. The recesses 50 and 52 are laterally spaced from each other the exact distance of lateral separation suggested by the manufacturer for the extremities of the electrodes 12 and 14.

A hand grip 58 is on the outer end of tube 42 and may assume any shape, for example the knob-like .configuration shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

In use the open end 44 of the tube 42 is slipped over nozzle 28. It is moved over the nozzle as far as it will go that is, until wall 46 strikes the end of nozzle 28. This automatically positions the flange 48 the correct distance for the electrodes to be in relation to the end of the nozzle. This is measuring along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of nozzle '28. This also automatically correctly positions the electrodes from the nozzle axis when measured along radii emanating therefrom. Adapter nut 30 assures that the tube will be correctly positioned on the nozzle inasmuch as the ends of the nut flats are precision fit in the bore of the tube. When the electrodes are adjusted so that their extremities seat in the recesses 50 and 52, the lateral spacing between the electrodes is correct. All of these adjustments are made with the single gauge and with a minimum of difficulty, trial and error. This considerably and materially speeds the adjustment of the electrodes.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A gauge for adjusting a pair of electrodes with respect to the discharge nozzle of a fuel burning apparatus, said gauge comprising a tube having an open end, means constituting a stop in the bore of said tube and adapted to abut the outer end of the nozzle when the tube is fitted over the nozzle by sliding the tube so that the nozzle enters said open end of said tube, a flange on said tube and extending laterally therefrom, said flange constituting a stop against which the outer ends of the electrodes are adapted to abut, the distance between said first mentioned stop and said flange measured in a direction coaxial with the nozzle axis being the desired distance for the electrodes to be with respect to the nozzle spray pattern.

2. A gauge for adjusting a pair of electrodes with respect to the discharge nozzle of a fuel burning apparatus, said gauge comprising a tube having an open end, means constituting a stop in the bore of said tube and adapted to abut the outer end of the nozzle when the tube is fitted over the nozzle by sliding the tube so that the nozzle enters said open end of said tube, a flange on said tube and extending laterally therefrom, said flange constituting a stop against which the outer ends of the electrodes are adapted to abut, the distance between said first mentioned stop and said flange measured in a direction coaxial with the nozzle axis being the desired distance for the electrodes to be with respect to the nozzle spray pattern, the radial distance between the axis and the wall of said tube being the correct distance for the extremities of the electrodes with respect to said spray pattern, and means associated with .said tube and on the outer surface thereof for indicating correct lateral spacing of the extremities of the electrodes with respect to each other.

3. The gauge of claim 2, wherein the means for indicating the cor'rect lateral spacing of the electrode extremities consist of a pair of recesses in the wall of said tube andspaced from each other.

4. The gauge of claim 2, wherein the means forindicating the "correct lateral spacing of the electrode extremities consists of a pair of recesses in the wall of said tube and spaced from each other, a finger grip on said tube by which to extract the tube from the nozzle and by which to insert the tool over the nozzle.

5. A gauge for the electrodes of an oil burner wherein the oil burner has a nozzle from which fiuel, emanates in a pattern, said gauge comprising a'hollow body adapted to .fit over said nozzle, a stop in said body to abut the extremity of the nozzle and limit the extent of movement of said hollow body onto said nozzle, a stop protruding laterally from said hollow'body and on the exterior thereofand adapted to abut the ends of the electrodes thereby setting the distance of the electrodes from the outer end of the nozzle and thereby laterally spacing said thereof and adapted to abut the ends of the electrodes thereby setting the distance of the electrodes from the outer end of the nozzle and thereby laterally spacing said electrode ends from the longitudinal axis of the nozzle so that the electrode ends will be removed sufficiently from the spray pattern, and means associated with said hollow body for indicating the lateral spacing of the extremities of the electrodes from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,135,296 Towne Nov. 1, 1938 Low Jan. 2, 1912v 

